Inspirations to Practice Yoga

Four Reasons Yoga Benefits My Life

1.I practice yoga for the physical, mental, and emotional results. I love how my body, mind, and spirit feel during my practice (most of the time) and after my practice (all of the time.) Not only do I feel calmer, I feel stronger, leaner, in better alignment. Even if I enter the class or practice with a busy mind, within 15 minutes or less, I notice a remarkable difference in how I am thinking and feeling.

There is a sense of peace that I met for the first time on my yoga mat. Since that first encounter, I have enjoyed similar feelings in the rest of my life at times. Most consistently though it is on my mat that I most frequently rediscover that deep inner knowingness that everything really is and will be ok.

2.I practice yoga for inspiration. My yoga teachers have spoken directly to my soul through their readings, class themes, and stories. I am continually reminded of the person I most want to be when yoga is a central theme in my life, and a daily practice. I find that when I give myself this gift, I tend to make better choices in the rest of my life regarding what I eat, how I spend my time, how I handle crises, and how I communicate with others.

3.I practice yoga for the sense of community. I have met some of my closest friends through yoga. Yoga appeals to people from all walks of life who are caring, creative, passionate, vibrant, fun, and wise. Practicing yoga in a group, even if we are each doing our own thing, increases my ability to stay focused longer and brings more consistency to my poses.

4. I practice yoga on my mat as a training ground for my “real life.” As I learn to be at peace in incredibly uncomfortable physical positions, then I can translate that into other challenging situations in my life. Taking a yogic perspective on life, I am able to rise above reaction, and take time to breathe while I choose an appropriate response. The temporary discomforts I sometimes experience on my mat serve as great metaphors reminding me of the resiliency and strength that is always present inside of me. The more I practice living from that place of inner peace, the more naturally peaceful I become.